We Stand United

Tomorrow, President-Elect Trump will become President Trump, despite his attacks on the very values we hold dear. Values of honesty, acceptance, peace, love for our neighbors.

Tomorrow he’ll become President despite his attempts to vilify Muslims, Latinos, women, the disabled, our LGBTQ neighbors, and the media that would expose him and hold him accountable.

But tomorrow, today, and every day for the next four years, is an opportunity for all of us to stand up for one another against the incoming administration’s attempt to reject and denigrate our ways of life.

So when Donald Trump targets our friends, neighbors and cities themselves, he’s going to have to get through me. Through me and Mayor de Blasio and through mayors throughout the country in both red and blue states.

When he tries to come for our arts community because they’re advancing dissent in a way that is more important than ever, he’ll have to come through me.

When he tries to come for women, families, the LGBTQ community, the activist community, he’ll have to come through me.

And when he tries to come for our immigrant friends, neighbors, and family, and tries to put Muslims on a registry, you better believe he’s going to have to come through me.

Together we’ll stand to preserve Democracy and oppose would-be tyrants. We will stand against fear and hate. We’ll stand up for real American values.

And we don’t stand alone. Millions of people, just like those of you here today, stand with us on the frontlines to protect our friends, families, and neighbors who will be made most vulnerable by the Trump administration’s policies.

Some people say that we should all wait until President Trump enacts a policy before we respond with our criticism. They tell us to give him a chance. He might be different once he’s actually in the White House. But he’s already shown us exactly who he is during his campaign and the transition. He’s already made important administration decisions that will inform his policies.

He’s chosen one of the country’s most anti-GLBT governors as his Vice President

He’s chosen the country’s leading proponent of white supremacy as his chief strategist.

He’s chosen a woman with ties to conversion therapy, who hates public schools, to lead the Department of Education.

He’s chosen a man who wants to eliminate the Department of Energy, to run it.

He’s chosen a national security advisor who called Islam a “vicious cancer.”

He’s chosen to keep insulting, bullying, and tweeting.

He’s shown the American people, residents of American cities, what he thinks of us.

And just like how we hear Donald Trump and his administration’s hateful policy positions, he hears us and our protests. He hears the media’s criticism.

Today, and into the next four years is a chance for us to stand together with our neighbors, to organize for our common values, and to keep the Trump administration held accountable.

I urge you all to stay informed, stay energized, and most importantly, take care of each other.